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Ben Burns |
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| As expected, Ben Burns got back on track, delivering a 4-2 Tuesday card. That included a perfect 2-0 mark in the NBA. His "Personal Favorite" on Portland was among the easiest winners of this NBA season! |
| Published Hot Streaks |
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• NBA Top Plays (+604) 20-13 L33 61% • NBA Top Plays (+452) 10-5 L15 67% |
| SHORT STATS | ||||
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| Last 7 days | Units | ROI | Pct | WL |
| Moneyline Picks | +30.0 units | +4.8% | 60% | 3-2 |
| Last 60 days | Units | ROI | Pct | WL |
| Moneyline Picks | +81.0 units | +1.0% | 59% | 35-24 |
| YESTERDAY'S PLAYS | ||
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| Matchup | Selection | W/L |
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NHL | Feb 22, 2012 Washington Capitals vs. Ottawa Senators |
Total 5½ un-128 at 5DIMES |
Lost $128.0 |
| Reason: I'm playing on Ottawa and Washington to finish UNDER the total. Two of three meetings between these teams have finished below the total this season. I expect another low-scoring affair. The Capitals were shutout (5-0) last time out. They've score only four goals their last three games and have scored three or fewer in six straight. They're averaging just 1.6 goals their last five games and eight of their last nine games have finished with five or fewer goals. Off a poor offensive effort, one might expect the Caps to bounce back with a lot of goals. That's often not the case though. In fact, the UNDER is a highly profitable 26-12-2 the past 40 times that they were coming off a game in which they scored one goal or less. The Caps may indeed have some trouble scoring again here. Ottawa is off a shutout win and has allowed just three goals its past two games. Off three straight wins, note that Sens have seen the UNDER go 18-9 the past few seasons, after having won three straight. That includes a 7-2 UNDER mark their last nine in that situation. I expect those stats to improve this evening. *9 | ||
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NBA | Feb 22, 2012 Sacramento Kings vs. Washington Wizards |
Washington Wizards -3½-103 at 5DIMES |
Lost $103.0 |
| Reason: I'm playing on WASHINGTON. Its been a tough first half for the Wizards. However, they showed some signs of real progress on their recent road trip, highlighted by double-digit victories at Detroit and Portland. They bogged down a bit towards the end of that trip but are now back home and had yesterday off. With the venue and schedule in their favor, I expect them to treat the home fans to a rare victory. The Kings are off a tough game at Miami last night. Give them credit for playing fairly well. However, the heavy minutes figure to take a toll. All five starters played more than 30 minutes. Thornton and Evans played 42 each. Note that Salmons was a late scratch. Sacramento has not fared well when playing the second of back to back games recently. The last time that the Kings played the second of back to back games, they lost by 15 points, as a +6 point underdog. Prior to that, they lost by two, although still covered. However, before that, they 33 and 39 points. So, that's 0-4 SU and 1-3 ATS the last four times that the Kings were in a back-to-back spot. This is worse than a typical b2b spot though. The Kings will also be playing their third game in four days and their sixth game in nine. While they do have a few talented young players, the Kings also allow more points than any team in the league. With last night's result, they're now allowing 101.9 per game on the season and an average of 109.6 their past five games. That favors the Wizards, who are 3-1 ATS against teams which allow more than 99 per game. The home team won both meetings in this series last season. More of the same here with the Wizards covering the small number along the way. *9 | ||
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NBA | Feb 22, 2012 New Orleans Hornets vs. Cleveland Cavaliers |
Cleveland Cavaliers -6-103 at 5DIMES |
Lost $103.0 |
| Reason: I'm playing on CLEVELAND. I like how this one sets up for the home team. Facing former teammate David West, the Hornets played an inspired game last night. In fact, playing without Okafor, Smith, Gordon and Landry, they very nearly upset the Pacers, at Indiana. In a game that was a battle the whole the way, the Pacers would rally to force overtime and eventually pull away. I expect that loss to be both physically and mentally draining. The Cavaliers also played last night. Unlike the Hornets, who covered the spread but blew a lead, they failed to cover but rallied for a comeback win. While the Hornets' loss figures to be deflating, I expect the Cavs' win to have the opposite effect and for Cleveland to be energized by it. While both teams played last night, the Hornets will also be playing their third game in three nights, which is NOT the case for the Cavs. Three road games in three nights is tough no matter what. When the first two games were both hard fought and when playing with a seriously depleted lineup, that situation becomes even more difficult. The Cavs have quietly won two in a row and three of four. That includes a double-digit win over the Pacers. The lone loss during that stretch came against the surging Heat. The Cavs also already have wins against the likes of Dallas and the Clippers this month, both those victories coming when they were playing the second of b2b games. They've taken care of business against losing teams and I look for them to get it done again this evening. *9 | ||
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NBA | Feb 22, 2012 Detroit Pistons vs. Toronto Raptors |
Toronto Raptors -4½-108 at 5DIMES |
Won $100 |
| Reason: I'm playing on TORONTO. The Raptors are very well-rested for this one. They last played on 2/17. That's a rare luxury with this year's condensed schedule and I expect it to serve them well here. Unlike the Raptors, the Pistons were involved in a hard-fought game last night. They played very well in the first half. However, they ended up losing a "heartbreaker," blowing a double-digit lead and losing by one. Those type of losses can often be tough to bounce back from. That will prove to be particularly true, in my opinion, in Detroit's case tonight. I say that as the Pistons had been on a winning streak and now have the All Star Break ahead of them. They've already "given it their all" this week and could easily get caught looking ahead to the time off. Note that Detroit will also be playing its third game in four days here and its 6th game in nine days. The Raptors should be extremely motivated to snap their skid. In addition to already being 4-2 ATS against teams from the Central, the Raptors are a respectable 11-9-1 ATS (13-8 SU) the past few seasons, when listed as home favorites in the -3.5 to -6 range. They should have the fresher legs down the stretch here and I look for them to close out the "first half" with a convincing win and cover. *9 | ||
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NBA | Feb 22, 2012 Philadelphia 76ers vs. Houston Rockets |
Total 185½ ov-103 at 5DIMES |
Lost $103.0 |
| Reason: I'm playing on Houston and Philadelphia to finish OVER the total. As you know, most teams tend to play better on their home floor. Some teams also tend to play much differently at home than they do on the road. The 76ers are one of those teams. At home, the 76ers are 13-6. On the road, they're 7-7. Nothing really unusual about that. However, if we look at the scores of those games, along with the O/U lines, we start to see a more significant pattern. In games played at Philadelphia, the 76ers are allowing a mere 83.5 points per game. That's tied (with Boston) for the fewest points allowed on a team's floor. At 84.4 points per game allowed on their home floor, the Bulls are close behind. Every other team allows more than 90. The 76ers don't play nearly as well defensively on the road though. On the road they're allowing 92.6 points per game. Still respectable. But nearly 10 more than they allow at home. The 76ers make up for it by actually scoring more points on the road than they do at home. As of today, they're one of only six teams that can make that claim. At home, the 76ers are scoring 93.4. On the road, that number climbs to 95.4. So, that means that Philadelphia home games are averaging 176.9 while road games are averaging a much higher 188. Not surprisingly, the "under" is a lucrative 14-5 when they've played at Philadelphia. Meanwhile, the OVER is 8-6 when they play on the road. That includes a 2-1 OVER mark when they've played a road game with an O/U line in the 185 to 189.5 range. It should also be noted that the 76ers have seen the OVER go 5-2 when they've found themselves listed as underdogs. Prior to only scoring 76 at Memphis last night, Philadelphia's Thaddeus Young noted: "Teams definitely know that we are a transition team. We prefer to run, get out in transition and try and get as many easy buckets as we can." Expect that to be the gameplan more than ever, after last night's poor offensive display. (Philadelphia scored 103, 92, 98 and 99 the past four times it played the second of b2b games.) Houston should be happy to also run the floor and play an up-tempo game. Granted, the Rockets have been a profitable 'under' team here in Houston. However, that's not because they play low-scoring games here. Rather, its due to the fact that they often see high O/U lines. Games here are still averaging a healthy 192.7 points on the season, which is more than enough to finish above this low number. Note that when the Rockets do see a lower O/U line, they've typically seen their games finish above that mark. They've now seen the OVER go 2-1 when playing a home game with an O/U line in the 185 to 189.5 range. Going back further finds the OVER at 4-1 their last five home games with a total in that range. Last season's games produced 205 points (at Philly) and 219 here at Houston. I expect a fairly fast tempo, leading to another high-scoring affair. *10 | ||
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NBA | Feb 22, 2012 Indiana Pacers vs. Charlotte Bobcats |
Charlotte Bobcats +6-110 at SIA |
Lost $110.0 |
| Reason: on CHARLOTTE. Its true that the Bobcats have been bad. Ok. Really bad. That doesn't mean that they can't provide us with strong value. With the schedule and situation in their favor, I believe that's the case this evening. These teams just faced each other on Sunday, at Indiana. The Pacers won that 2/19 game by a score of 108-73, simply running the Bobcats out of the building. That should provide the Bobcats with some added motivation here, as will the fact that Indiana also did the same thing to them (also at Indiana) back on 1/7. The Pacers won that game by a score of 99-77. A closer look reveals that the Bobcats were in a very tough scheduling spot for that 1/7 game here though. Not only were they playing the second of back to back games, they were also playing their fourth game in five days. Tonight's game sets up far more favorably. This time, the Bobcats haven't played since Sunday's loss at Indiana. On the other hand, the Pacers are off an OT game vs. the Hornets last night. The Pacers did pull away in the extra session but the game was hard fought the entire way. Indeed, ALL five starters saw at least 39 minutes of action, including Granger with 41 minutes and George with 44. Note that the Pacers failed to cover the spread last night and are now an ugly 1-9 ATS their last 10 games. They're also 0-5 ATS the last five times that they played the second of back to back games. Even with the wins over Charlotte, the Pacers are now just 8-13 ATS when laying points and 6-8 ATS against teams with a losing record. The Bobcats are 11-8-1 ATS the last 20 times that they were listed as home underdogs in the +3.5 to +6 range. Off Sunday's loss, Charlotte coach Paul Silas noted: "We just have to put this behind us and continue to grow. Anytime a team wins the way they did, they'll think that they can come back and do the same thing. So hopefully we will come with more effort and energy ... " Playing with double and recent revenge, I expect a highly motivated effort from Silas' crew here, as they take this game down to the wire with an excellent shot at the outright win. *10 | ||
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SERVICE BIO |
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| Ben Burns burst onto the sports betting scene in the 1990s, first making his selections available to the public in 1998. Now entering his tenth year, Ben has become one of the most successful and well-respected handicappers on the entire Internet. From 1998 to 2006, Ben had his selections documented by the Big Guy Sports Monitor. During that time, he accumulated numerous seasonal titles in all the major sports. In fact, competing against a field of 150, Ben's NFL selections still rank as #1 of all-time there. With such a commanding lead over the field, it is highly unlikely that his all-time NFL record there will ever be matched. Like all handicappers, Ben goes through both hot and cold streaks. However, whether winning or losing, he always "tells it like it is." Perhaps more importantly, as his many fans are quick to point out, Ben's winning weeks tend to greatly outnumber his losing ones. Note that Ben followed up an extremely strong 2006 with an even better campaign in 2007! Ben is known as a "Totals Expert" and his over/under plays are highly sought after in all sports. In addition to his "total" success, Ben's "sides" are also known for their sizzling hot streaks. While he advocates playing all his selections equally, Ben's knack for nailing his "Big" plays is truly remarkable. Ben capped off a highly successful college football season by winning his Bowl Game of the Year, a 41-10 wire-to-wire destruction on Georgia over Hawaii. Ben's NFL playoffs didn't go as well though and he lost his first ever Super Bowl selection, when the Patriots were upset by the Giants. Despite that rare setback, Ben's Super Bowl record remains at 10-1 for his career. Additionally, his NFL playoff picks remain a powerful 47-22 (68%) ATS the past six years. Ben isn't just a football expert though, as his hockey, baseball AND basketball picks are also highly respected. Ben logs extremely long hours. His hard work clearly shows itself in his high quality writeups and extraordinary long-term records. If you're looking for an honest, hard-working handicapper with a documented history of success, give Ben Burns a try. We're sure that you'll be impressed! |
